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Burping, Stomach Pain, Blood In Stool, Low Energy. Worried About Colon Cancer And Colitis
Question: Hi XXXXXXX
for 2-3 months now i have been having small burps, random minor sharp pains in lower stomach from time to time, indigestion, lack of solid dumps, blood in stool from time to time. also a lack of energy lately even though i am only 40 years old, active person, 6'1 215 lbs + play in the mountains 2x a week . also to note ...cut out dairy a year ago and eat very little bread. diet is decent, rarely any fast food.
i do have a sweet tooth and eat some chocolate 3-4 times a week, thats about it.
going in to see doctor next week but then guessing will be waiting months to see specialist.
Now i got things like colon cancer and colitis on my mind.
Any advice ?
cheers XXXXXXX
for 2-3 months now i have been having small burps, random minor sharp pains in lower stomach from time to time, indigestion, lack of solid dumps, blood in stool from time to time. also a lack of energy lately even though i am only 40 years old, active person, 6'1 215 lbs + play in the mountains 2x a week . also to note ...cut out dairy a year ago and eat very little bread. diet is decent, rarely any fast food.
i do have a sweet tooth and eat some chocolate 3-4 times a week, thats about it.
going in to see doctor next week but then guessing will be waiting months to see specialist.
Now i got things like colon cancer and colitis on my mind.
Any advice ?
cheers XXXXXXX
Hello, XXXXXXXX,
You mention that you had a case of food poisoning
about four years ago. Recent literature shows that
certain conditions can develop after such an infection.
One is Irritable Bowel Syndrome and the other is IBD
or Inflammatory Bowel Disease such as Crohn's or
Ulcerative colitis. Some of your symtoms are suggestive
of GERD due to acid reflux. Chocolate can certainly give
you more reflux symptoms. You have cut back on dairy
products which is good. They contain ccalcium and can
increse acid production.
You have cut back on bread, usually containing gluten.
I am not sure if you have had blood tests for Celiac disease.
You should have that done as well.
Now, as to the presence of blood in the stool and your feeling
of fatigue might indicate anemia from slow blood loss.
You are forty years young , but these symptoms warrant
a thorough evaluation to rule out Inflammatory Bowel Disease
or even growths or polyps in the colon.
My feeling and my recommendation would be that you see
a gastroenterologist or a specialist that can perform endoscopy
of both upper and lower GI tract. You need EGD and Colonoscopy.
If you have not had a complete blood work , please have them done.
These should include complete blood count, complete metabolic
profile, like lipd levels,kidney ,thyroid and liver tests etc.
You might also need IBD-Panel and some markers like CEA & CA-19-9.
which are cancer markers.
I do not want to scare you with all these. But anything if detected early,
we can treat it successfully.
I wish you the very best.
You mention that you had a case of food poisoning
about four years ago. Recent literature shows that
certain conditions can develop after such an infection.
One is Irritable Bowel Syndrome and the other is IBD
or Inflammatory Bowel Disease such as Crohn's or
Ulcerative colitis. Some of your symtoms are suggestive
of GERD due to acid reflux. Chocolate can certainly give
you more reflux symptoms. You have cut back on dairy
products which is good. They contain ccalcium and can
increse acid production.
You have cut back on bread, usually containing gluten.
I am not sure if you have had blood tests for Celiac disease.
You should have that done as well.
Now, as to the presence of blood in the stool and your feeling
of fatigue might indicate anemia from slow blood loss.
You are forty years young , but these symptoms warrant
a thorough evaluation to rule out Inflammatory Bowel Disease
or even growths or polyps in the colon.
My feeling and my recommendation would be that you see
a gastroenterologist or a specialist that can perform endoscopy
of both upper and lower GI tract. You need EGD and Colonoscopy.
If you have not had a complete blood work , please have them done.
These should include complete blood count, complete metabolic
profile, like lipd levels,kidney ,thyroid and liver tests etc.
You might also need IBD-Panel and some markers like CEA & CA-19-9.
which are cancer markers.
I do not want to scare you with all these. But anything if detected early,
we can treat it successfully.
I wish you the very best.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
i just uploaded a picture from this morning. as u can see, much blood amongst the stool, this is a good example of what my bowels have been doing on and off
for the past few months. sorry for the gross picture but i am wondering if it reveals anything else to you ?
ive also had some symptoms of this....
Rectal tenesmus
Rectal tenesmus (Latin, from Greek teinesmos, from teinein to stretch, strain) is a feeling of incomplete defecation. It is experienced as an inability or difficulty to empty the bowel at defecation, even if the bowel contents have already been excreted. It is frequently painful and may be accompanied by involuntary straining and other gastrointestinal symptoms.
Would Rectal tenesmus be part and parcel to Irrital Bowel Syndrome or IBD ?
Thank you XXXXXXX you're info is helping me.
for the past few months. sorry for the gross picture but i am wondering if it reveals anything else to you ?
ive also had some symptoms of this....
Rectal tenesmus
Rectal tenesmus (Latin, from Greek teinesmos, from teinein to stretch, strain) is a feeling of incomplete defecation. It is experienced as an inability or difficulty to empty the bowel at defecation, even if the bowel contents have already been excreted. It is frequently painful and may be accompanied by involuntary straining and other gastrointestinal symptoms.
Would Rectal tenesmus be part and parcel to Irrital Bowel Syndrome or IBD ?
Thank you XXXXXXX you're info is helping me.
Hello, XXXXXXX,
Yes, I did see the picture and it is a mixture of blood clot
and blood stain along with mucus. This is seen with Colitis
and we can also see it with certain type of polyps (Villous Adenoma).
Thrombosed hemorrhoids can give you tenesmus , painful stool
passage , also seen with fissures if you have had chronic constipation
and frequent straining.
Irritable Bowel will not cause bleeding which is an alarm sign.
Hope this answers your concerns.
I wish you well.
Yes, I did see the picture and it is a mixture of blood clot
and blood stain along with mucus. This is seen with Colitis
and we can also see it with certain type of polyps (Villous Adenoma).
Thrombosed hemorrhoids can give you tenesmus , painful stool
passage , also seen with fissures if you have had chronic constipation
and frequent straining.
Irritable Bowel will not cause bleeding which is an alarm sign.
Hope this answers your concerns.
I wish you well.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
thanks for some things for my GP to consider when she recommends me to specialist , thank you XXXXXXX
Hello, XXXXXXX
Glad to be of some help to you. I wish you the very best.
You do need a specialist referral and insist upon it.
Thanks.
Glad to be of some help to you. I wish you the very best.
You do need a specialist referral and insist upon it.
Thanks.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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